Commoning block



W. C. FEESER GOMMONING BLOCK Nov. 16, 1965 Filed Aug. 26, 1963 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM C. FEcsER United States Patent 3,218,601 COMMONING BLOCK William C. Feeser, York, Pa., assignor to AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. Filed Aug. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 304,539 4 Claims. (Cl. 339-91) This invention is directed to a commoning block in which one lead-in connection provides a series of outlet connections.

It is becoming the prevailing practice, especially in the computer and related fields, to provide connection members in which a single lead-in connection provides several outlet connections to provide a common connec tion to various elements. Such connection members are cumbersome, require an excess of material to manufacture, do not contain a proper securing feature to maintain connector members therein, and are in general not suitable for the purposes desired.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a commoning block that is simple to manufacture as well as to enable a common connection to a series of connectors disposed in staggered relationship.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a commoning block that saves material as well as providing within the commoning block a means to lock a connector therein.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which there are shown and described illustrative embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the commoning block with outlet connectors mounted in the block and a lead-in connector disposed in front of its aperture;

FIGURE 2 is a top-plan view of the commoning block; and

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view taken on the lines A-A of FIGURE 2.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a commoning block 2, that is molded from insulating material such as diallyl phthalate or other suitable thermosetting plastic materials.

The shape of the block is significant in that there are disposed therein two columns of apertures 3, 3; each aperture being staggered with respect to the other apertures. The entry portion 5' of each aperture is in common connection to a central slot 5 disposed in the block 2. While only tWo columns of apertures have been shown, it is to be understood that more columns can be provided in block 2 if desired.

The top and bottom surfaces of block 2, as shown in FIGURE 2, have a corrugated or undulating surface and the ends have an extension into which slot 5 extends. As a result of the exterior undulating surfaces of block 2, release of the block from its mold is facilitated, whereas angled corners have a tendency to adhere to the mold. Additionally, the undulating configuration of block 2 requires less material than a design having an external rectangular configuration. More specifically, the exterior surface of each aperture has an arcuate shape with the axis thereof being the ploint to generate the arcuate shape.

A contact member 4, having arms 8 disposed therealong at spaced intervals corresponding to the entry portions 5 of each aperture in each column, is placed in slot 5 and snapped into place therein. Each arm 8, as can be discerned, is disposed at an angle with respect to contact member 4 and therefore protrudes toward the axis of its corresponding aperture. Each arm 8 also has a portion 8' angularly disposed toward the contact member 4 in a direction opposite to that of the main portion of arm 8 in order to obviate any hindrance to a smooth insertion and removal of a connector member. It should be pointed out that arms 8 can have an arcuate configuration instead of the angular configuration shown in FIG- URE 3.

The contact member 4, along with arms 8, is a formed brass stamping suitably plated by a layer of nickel and overplated with a layer of gold. Materials other than these can be utilized to form the contact member as desired.

As shown in FIGURE 3, each aperture has a portion.

9 which is of smaller diameter than another portion 11. At the inner junction of portions 9 and 11, there is formed a ledge 10. The apertures extend through the block and the reason that the surface opposite to that containing slot 5 is not closed is to permit a tool to be inserted when permanent type connectors are used.

There is shown in FIGURE 1, connect-or 12 which is the lead-in connector in order to provide a source of supply to the other connectors 13 already mounted in their respective apertures via contact member 4 and arms 8. Each connector 13 is connected to an individual element (not shown).

Each connector 12, 13 is of the type disclosed in U.S.

Patent No. 3,085,222, and co-pending application Serial' Number 179,686, filed March 14, 1962, and now U.S. Patent No. 3,134,633, and contains a portion 6' which has a diameter slightly smaller than portion 9 and thereby engages corresponding arm 8. Spring fingers 6 extend from slots forward of portion 6'. Fingers 6 are pressed inwardly when the connectors pass through portion 9 and spring outwardly engaging ledge 10 upon entering portion 11. Fingers 6 when in engagement with ledge 10 provide a locking arrangement for the connectors in order to secure them Within block 2 so that they will not easily be removed therefrom except with some effort. It should also be pointed out that arms 8 themselves provide a certain amount of securing force on the portion 6 due to the fact that arms 8 are resilient. Thus, if a connector did not have fingers 6 or other similar means, the force of arms 8 would provide an adequate securing force though not as much as fingers 6 in engagement with ledge 10.

Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and various apparently different modifications and embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined by the following 01811115.

I claim:

1. A device for interconnecting a lead-in connector means with a plurality of outlet connector means comprising block means having an undulating exterior surface, said =block means including at least two columns of apertures, the apertures of one column being disposed in staggered relationship with respect to the apertures of the other column, said block means including a slot disposed in one surface thereof which is in communication with each aperture, contact means having arm means extending therefrom at spaced intervals corresponding to the location of each aperture, said contact means adapted to be inserted within said slot with said arm means extending within a corresponding aperture as well as toward the axis thereof in a resilient manner, and means disposed within each aperture for securing the connector means when inserted therein.

2. An electrical connector for connecting lead-in connector means to outlet connector means comprising block means having a plurality of openings disposed in staggered relationship, 'sa'id block means having a slot in one surface in communication with each of said openings, contact means in said slot and including arm means extending outwardly therefrom and into each of said openings in a resilient manner, and means in each of said openings for securing said connector means therein.

3. An electrical connector for connecting lead-in connector means to outlet connector means comprising block means having at least two rows of openings therein, said block means having a slot in one surface in communication with each of said openings, contact means adapted to be disposed in said slot and including arm means extending outwardly therefrom corresponding to the location of each of said openings with the arm means extending within the openings in a resilient manner, and means in said block means spaced from said arm means for securing said connector means therein.

4. A commoning block for interconnecting connector means comprising a block of insulation material, contact means disposed in said block, said block having openings therein on each side of said contact means for receiving said connector means, arm means extending outwardly from said contact means and into each of said openings in a resilient manner for electrical engagement with said connector means, and means in each of said openings for maintaining said connector means therein.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,877,103 9/1932 Whiting 339-21 1,964,042 6/1934 Du Bois et al 339--91 X 2,093,677 9/1937 Hickman et al. 339-21 2,396,725 3/1946 Thomas 33959 2,780,790 2/1957 Hubbell 339176 X 2,799,839 7/1957 Weiss 339191 2,912,666 11/1959 HurvitZ 339-61 2,925,577 2/1960 Cetran et al 339-198 2,965,872 12/1960 Linn 339198 3,019,357 1/1962 Zafiina 339-191 3,040,289 6/1962 Wicks 339--18 3,085,177 4/1963 Thompson 33918 3,097,036 7/1963 Cornell 339- -218 3,134,633 5/1964 Hatfield 339-18 FOREIGN PATENTS 427,708 11/ 1947 Italy.

JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner. 

4. A COMMONING BLOCK FOR INTERCONNECTING CONNECTOR MEANS COMPRISING A BLOCK OF INSULATION MATERIAL, CONTACT MEANS DISPOSED IN SAID BLOCK, SAID BLOCK HAVING OPENINGS THEREIN ON EACH SIDE OF SAID CONTACT MEANS FOR RECEIVING SAID CONNECTOR MEANS, ARM MEANS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID CONTACT MEANS AND INTO EACH OF SAID OPENINGS IN A RESILIENT MANNER FOR ELECTRICAL ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CONNECTOR MEANS, AND MEANS IN EACH OF SAID OPENINGS FOR MAINTAINING SAID CONNECTOR MEANS THEREIN. 